classic
She's learned her lesson this time. She won't fall for it again this time, since it happened to her last time! Last time, after she ate a bite of the pastry he brought back, he insisted on giving her a kiss in return.
He laughed. "Does Madam dislike me?"
"Think what you want." She stood up.
Luo Momo fell silent. Was she jealous at this moment? Or was she just being fed dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection)?
She was unconvinced, cleared her throat, and looked at him with pleading eyes, tugging at the corner of his sleeve with both hands. She was incredibly charming and adorable. She said coquettishly, "My lord~, Mo Mo has missed you so much these past few days." He turned and glanced at her.
She looked distressed again, clutching the hem of her clothes with one hand and covering her chest with the other, "My heart aches so much from thinking about this."
He gave a perfunctory reply, "Oh, I'll find a doctor to take a look at you later."
Pang Linqiu and Luo Momo both fell silent at the same time, "..."
Luo Momo's lips twitched, feeling embarrassed. "Uh..."
"Peng Xuan'an, don't you know how to cherish women?" she questioned.
He remained calm, "She's not Xiangyu, why should I pity her?"
Luo Momo was stunned for a moment after hearing this. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were filled with sorrow, and her heart ached as if it were being pierced by a thousand needles.
She felt wronged and wanted to cry, but she held back, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Then...then...this concubine will now take her leave." With that, she turned and ran towards the courtyard, feeling frustrated.
She was anxious, but he wasn't.
Pang Linqiu stared wide-eyed at him in disbelief, then at Luo Momo's departing figure. Her mouth was half-open, as if she wanted to say something.
What are you standing there for, you idiot?
Peng Xuan'an snapped out of her daze and looked at her, puzzled. "What's wrong?"
"Aren't you going to pursue her?!" She was as worried as an old mother.
"Why chase after them?" He scratched his head, puzzled.
Pang Linqiu was speechless. Rather than talking to this blockhead, she'd rather try to mend her relationship with Luo Momo. She didn't want to worsen the relationship between the wife and concubine, much less break it off! It would be even worse if it turned into a palace intrigue drama! Rumors of such things getting out would be detrimental!
The mistress of the Imperial Study actually wanted to monopolize the Minister's affections, neglecting the young lady from the Xie family and the Luo family who had just entered the household...
"You damn wooden fish!" she shouted angrily, then hurriedly ran after him.
She ran, she chased.
Luo Momo ran back to her bedroom, locked the door, and shut Pang Linqiu out.
Pang Linqiu knocked on the door and pleaded, "Mo Mo, that's just how he is. Don't be sad about this! Okay?"
"Sister, please go back! Mo Mo is tired." The voice on the other end still sounded like she was about to cry.
She could only nod in agreement, not wanting to disturb their peace. "Okay, okay, you get some rest!"
Those words truly broke her heart. She had thought that after entering the manor, she could win his favor with her looks. But she never expected that she still couldn't compare to him!
In his presence, she was practically invisible!
I hate it! I hate it so much!
Pang Linqiu was turned away and annoyed by Peng Xuan'an's words and attitude, and angry at his stupidity. She was even more worried about how the three of them would get along in the future, and whether this incident would create a rift in their relationship.
Xie Anqi visited Luo Momo's courtyard after hearing about the incident. She felt indignant for Luo Momo and worried about how she would win his favor and attention in the future.
She didn't believe Peng Xuan'an would always favor her, so she came up with a plan.
On his day off, Peng Xuan'an was planning where to go for a parade.
On the red-painted corridor, the melancholy Pang Linqiu and the taciturn Xi Shuang stayed together at the scene of the accident.
She leaned over the railing, gazing absently at the stream.
Hearing light footsteps approaching, she glanced over indifferently, assuming it was a servant coming and going. But she didn't expect it to be Luo Momo. She instantly came to her senses and looked Luo Momo up and down with a worried expression.
"MoMo, how's your recovery going lately?"
She stood up and walked towards her.
Peng Xuan'an, clutching the blueprints, was walking towards Langfang when she spotted her and Luo Momo not far away.
Luo Momo observed behind Pang Linqiu and spotted Peng Xuan'an's figure, then seized the opportunity.
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, sister," she said with a smile.
Pang Linqiu noticed her gaze, turned around, and saw that only Xi Shuang was behind her.
She didn't care about anything else and sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry, that's just how he is, but I've already scolded him, and he won't do it again."
Luo Momo covered her mouth and chuckled, "Then I'll really have to trouble you, sister."
"It's nothing serious!" she added. "Is Momo free today?" She wanted to ask Luo Momo to go shopping together to strengthen their relationship.
Luo Momo didn't listen at all; her attention was entirely focused on Peng Xuan'an, who was slowly approaching.
“Madam…” he called as he approached.
Yes! This is the perfect time!
Luo Momo grabbed her right hand and slapped it hard across her own face.
A loud "snap" was heard.
Her delicate face looked as if it had been branded with a red mark. Tears streamed down her face from the pain as she clutched the spot where she had been hit, waiting pitifully for Peng Xuan'an to come over.
Luo Momo looked at her with disbelief, appearing wronged like a victim. And indeed, she was a victim.
Pang Linqiu stood there dumbfounded. She thought... she might have hit her?!
She froze instantly. She had been hoping to mend the relationship, but now... things were even more difficult.
Peng Xuan'an noticed that the two seemed to be arguing, so he quickly quickened his pace.
He came running at the sound, and frowned slightly when he saw the two of them.
"What happened?"
The classic scene of "Sister, I'm sorry, it's my fault, I shouldn't have made you angry" begins, a scene filled with utter grievance.
He stood beside Pang Linqiu and glanced at her, who was still in a daze. She was holding her right wrist with her left hand, looking completely lost.
Her palms felt inexplicably hot and uncomfortable, as if they were swollen, and her hands were trembling slightly.
"Madam, what's going on?" he asked gently.
Luo Momo covered her face and sobbed, "Husband and wife, it's my fault. I shouldn't have made my sister angry. She deserved to be hit by me."
A black pot fell from the sky, leaving her feeling bewildered.
"Is that so?" he asked her.
But after hearing her words, Pang Linqiu slowly came to her senses, nodded blankly, and accepted the "not to be trifled with" persona. She opened her mouth as if to say something, to catch up with the role Luo Momo was throwing at her.
Unexpectedly, Peng Xuan'an spoke first.
"Since it was your fault, you deserved to be hit by your wife. Let's just drop this matter."
Luo Momo was stunned, as if struck by lightning.
Pang Linqiu was stunned.
Her pupils dilated in shock, and she held back her tears. That was it?! She was furious; she'd taken the slap for nothing! The scales of victory had tipped in her favor in the end! Why?!
"But..." Luo Momo wanted to continue to plead her case, but seeing his murderous eyes, she stopped herself and swallowed her anger.
Pang Linqiu felt a headache coming on. She raised her hand and rubbed the hollow of her temples, then said to him, "Xuan'an, go to Fengxiang Pavilion and buy me a jade hairpin!"
Let's find a way to get him away first!
Seeing that Peng Xuan'an wanted to refuse and wanted to know the reason, she urged, "Go quickly!"
“…Oh, oh…” He had no choice but to turn around and leave, glancing at her a few more times with some reluctance.
Seeing him leave, Pang Linqiu finally breathed a sigh of relief; she understood. Luo Momo wanted to use this performance to change Peng Xuan'an's opinion of her, to make him think she was an easily angered person.
She looked at Luo Momo, who was crying with grievance, and felt a pang of pity.
"Xi Shuang, you should go down too." She didn't want any third person present.
"Yes, sir." Xi Shuang obeyed the order and went to her seat.
They were the only ones in the wide corridor.
Pang Linqiu sat down. "Mo Mo, come sit with me." She patted the seat next to her and extended an invitation.
Luo Momo was very unwilling, and seeing that it was just the two of them, she felt even more aggrieved. The invitation from the person in front of her felt like a provocation, and she bit her lip, her face flushed with indignation.
"..." She didn't respond.
Pang Linqiu could see her reluctance and unwillingness. Indeed, she hated herself now. Wasn't extending this invitation a kind of cold irony?
"MoMo, your method won't work." She shook her head, her tone gentle.
She got up, took out a handkerchief, and walked towards her.
"...?" Luo Momo took a few steps back uneasily.
Pang Linqiu walked up to her, gently lifted her face, and lightly rubbed Luo Momo's face with the handkerchief. The handkerchief was cool, soothing the heat on her face, and Pang Linqiu's touch was so gentle that she felt almost no pain.
She stared at her blankly, while Pang Linqiu looked at her with pity, her eyelids half-closed and her eyes full of heartache.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked, gently touching the red mark.
"What do you mean by this, sister?" She hadn't let her guard down yet, her delicate brows furrowed as she scoffed. She felt that her sister was pitying her and mocking her clumsy acting.
Pang Linqiu sensed her wariness; she still refused to trust her.
"I was just worried about you." She took Luo Momo's hand and sat down with her. "Why did you do this? To hurt yourself to get his attention?" She was unhappy.
"If it weren't for you! Would I be like this?" She sobbed softly, wiping away her tears, harboring resentment towards her.
She sighed helplessly, leaned lazily against the railing, closed her eyes in annoyance, and rubbed her brow bone. "Then can you tell me why you did this?" Her tone was still gentle, but tinged with helplessness and frustration.
“Since I entered the household, my husband has never come to visit me.” She pointed to herself, expressing her grievances. “He has stayed with you for four nights in a row. Do you know how lonely I am?”
"..." This loneliness was something she longed for.
She finally understood that the culprit was Peng Xuan'an.
Do you like him?
Luo Momo stopped crying. "Of course I like him. With a husband as talented and handsome as him, what woman wouldn't like him?"
"..." Okay, she's not a woman.
She tentatively asked, "So...do you want to share a room with him?"
The words "share a room" instantly made her blush. She didn't know how to answer. She wanted to, but he didn't. If he didn't want to, then nothing like that would happen.
Pang Linqiu sat up straight, her gaze falling on her. She saw through her little scheme, but didn't say anything directly.
“Come to the Lord’s Court tonight, and serve Him.”
Luo Momo was taken aback, not expecting her to be so straightforward, or rather, eager to escape.
She was at a loss, her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her: "But...but he doesn't want to touch me...how can I serve him?"
Pang Linqiu smiled knowingly and shrugged indifferently: "No need to worry, he'll have to get involved with a stick of aphrodisiac incense and a pot of aphrodisiacs whether he wants to or not!"
She was determined: "I'll seal the windows and lock the door then, so you can rest assured."
Luo Momo's eyes lit up instantly, all her hatred vanishing. She grabbed Pang Linqiu's hand with both of hers, her eyes full of anticipation, "Sister, will you really let me share a room with my husband?"
"How could I possibly lie?"
After hearing this, she felt inexplicably sad again and let go of her hand. "Sister, are you really willing to give him to me? Or are you just bluffing me?" She thought of those four nights and Peng Xuan'an, who had been nowhere to be seen.
"Let me put it this way, if you want the title of my legal wife, I will give it to you without any complaints." She swore it was true.
"Really?!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"real!"
"What needle?" Peng Xuan'an's voice rang out untimely.
Pang Linqiu covered her mouth, knowing she couldn't say another word, or she would reveal everything.
She smiled and stood up. "You guys chat first, I still have business to finish."
Finally, he hurriedly left the scene to go to the street to buy "something".
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